Soledar: Ukraine conflict indicates rift among pro-Russian forces:
Russia's defense ministry says its soldiers are battling for Soledar, a town north of Bakhmut in east Ukraine that has seen recent violence.
It comes after the leader of Russia's infamously vicious Wagner mercenary outfit, Yevgeny Prigozhin, said his fighters had complete control and boasted that only his forces were present.
Mr. Prigozhin will almost certainly utilize any success to boost Wagner's status as an effective combat force in the eyes of President Putin.
However, the Russian defense ministry appeared to dispute the oligarch's assertions.
"Soledar has been blockaded from the north and south by troops of the Russian Airborne Forces," said spokesman Igor Konashenkov in the military's daily briefing.
The Russian Air Force is conducting airstrikes on hostile strongholds. Assault soldiers are engaged in fighting within the town." Wagner forces were not mentioned.
Ukraine's defense ministry also stated on Wednesday that fierce warfare continues and that Wagner troops have been unable to breach its defenses.
If Soledar is deposed, Mr. Prigozhin will benefit. In a statement posted on Tuesday night, he bragged that "no other units took part in the storming of Soledar aside from Wagner". According to Ukrainian and US authorities, Wagner units make up a sizable portion of the soldiers fighting in the region.
Analysts have long speculated about tensions between the military and Wagner, and Mr. Prigozhin has publicly chastised generals for apparently being disconnected from the reality of the Ukrainian war.
While it is difficult to determine whether or not there is infighting in the corridors of power, there are some hints.
Colonel-General Alexander Lapin was named Chief of Staff of the Ground Forces yesterday, according to Tass. The revelation of Gen Lapin's post - he was one of those bashed by Mr. Prigozhin last year - was made as a message to the oligarch: don't mess with the military, according to Russian media sources.
Many people in Soledar have praised Mr. Prigozhin and Wagner for their apparent success. Margarita Simonyan, a powerful media executive, raved over how "nice" he is before thanking Wagner warriors, whom she referred to as "my little darlings!"
Similarly, pro-Kremlin military bloggers on Telegram lauded the mercenary organization. One blogger complimented them for "the feelings you've given us today".
Another person stated "It will be a new chapter in Russian military history when Soledar and [Bakhmut] are liberated. This is the first time that a commercial military business has demonstrated such achievements in high-intensity military combat ".
Military analysts debate Soledar's strategic importance. However, if Russian forces are successful in gaining complete control of the town, it will undoubtedly be a symbolic win for the Kremlin. Because, since the summer of 2022, Moscow's soldiers have failed to seize a single important town from Ukrainian forces.
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